Toccoa Vice Mayor Hellenga reminds residents to wear masks

Toccoa Vice Mayor Evan Hellenga is encouraging residents to wear masks and practice social distancing.

During the recent Toccoa City Commission meeting, Hellenga reminded everyone the importance of wearing masks.
“We all have to wear mask until we get a head of this thing,” he said.

According to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people are encouraged to wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Officials with the CDC explain that masks act as simple barriers to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raise their voice. This recommendation is based on what is known about the role respiratory droplets play in the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

For anyone who does not have a mask, Stephens County Hospital in partnership with Stephens County Emergency Management will hold a weekly mask giveaway drive-thru.

The next mask giveaway will be held this evening, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Osborne Wood Products on Hwy 123.

Then on Wednesday, October 7, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. mask will be given away at the Stephens County Senior Center, located on Rose Lane.

On Wednesday, October 14, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. you can pick up a mask at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, located on Whitman Street.

The last mask drive-thru will be held on Wednesday, October 21, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at the Pointe Church.